Hamster Wheel Issues - HELP ASAP! CAN'T SLEEP!

[Imogen]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

When is your wood trixie wheel arriving? I think delivery from Amazon is much quicker than from Zooplus although it may cost a little bit more on Amazon. My only thoughts about removing the wheel before the replacement arrives is - your hamster may well go stir crazy snd start bar chewing and pestering to be out (there is nothing worse than the sound of bar chewing).

Totally understand that sleep deprivation is hell. It may be a bit off beat but could you sleep somewhere else for a couple of nights - eg in someone else’s room on a camp bed or on the sofa. Or - ear plugs do work! I had to use them once when working nights and trying to sleep during the day.

There is also the faff of having to paint the truxie wheel delaying things although it literally only takes 10 minutes to paint and a first coat would be dry a few hours later. Under the circumstances I would just do one coat (you can always do another coat in future after wiping the wheel eg).

It is quite stressful I know. I had a wheel break on me and couldn’t get another one for a few days. Hamster going bananas and bar chewing. So I got a 12” flying saucer be t day delivery from Amazon to tide things over till the wheel arrived. Would that be an option?

It was this one

Trixie Running Plastic Disc, 30 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

It’s not good for long term use - they do better with an upright wheel so they can run properly - but I used it in a playpen afterwards and it’s a good short term wheel substitute. It’s not noisy at all - virtually silent apart from the patter of feet.

He's in a bin cage and is not able to chew any bars, there's only mesh on the top of the lid because it's given him a deeper substrate to be able to burrow. I always make sure I let him out during the day when he has his 1-2 hours awake during the afternoon to have a play for at least an hour minimum and to get some exercise.

My Plasti stuff arrives in 3 days and the wheel will arrive in 2 days. He seems to just be playing with his little hanging toys and burrowing when the wheel is out of his cage when I'm asleep and I always put little healthy treats (of different kinds that aren't high in sugar) into multiple different toys to keep his brain active. I'm going to start working on the wheel asap and since it's been very sunny here in the UK lately I can put the wheel out in the garden or near the open doors where I sit to dry quicker.

[Pebbles82]

That's a very nice set up. Will the wheel fit heightwise? Hard to tell how tall the bin is. The plastikote will dry fine indoors - it dries quickly - in a couple of hours really. Personally I wouldn't put it outside as it wouldn't speed up drying and you may get bugs and dust stuck to it when drying!

What do you think about getting the flying saucer as an interim thing? It can arrive quicker and then you get sleep and the hamster doesn't go stir crazy. Although I appreciate it's more money. It's at night they are so full of energy and use their wheels.

I recently had to put our syrian into a cage with no wheel because he'd had an operation. It was also a tank style and believe me he was hanging from the roof! And chewing at that. Helps if they have out of cage time of course.

[Imogen]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

That's a very nice set up. Will the wheel fit heightwise? Hard to tell how tall the bin is. The plastikote will dry fine indoors - it dries quickly - in a couple of hours really. Personally I wouldn't put it outside as it wouldn't speed up drying and you may get bugs and dust stuck to it when drying!

What do you think about getting the flying saucer as an interim thing? It can arrive quicker and then you get sleep and the hamster doesn't go stir crazy. Although I appreciate it's more money. It's at night they are so full of energy and use their wheels.

I recently had to put our syrian into a cage with no wheel because he'd had an operation. It was also a tank style and believe me he was hanging from the roof! And chewing at that. Helps if they have out of cage time of course.

I'm pretty sure the wheel will fit fine, it's taller than it looks in the photo and the wheel I have now is not much shorter than the TRIXIE wheel since I measured it with a measuring tape. I measured the box and it seems perfectly fine. I may just have to even off the substrate a bit more but that wont be a problem since he has 22cm burrowing depth as it is right now. I remember the bare bare minimum being around 8-10cm as stated from this famous hamster youtuber, he would definitely not go below 15cm.

With a flying saucer I would buy one but I can't simply rush into pets at home and get one, the shop I'm able to get to only sell the small sized one currently. I can't order off Amazon, I don't have amazon prime and it would cost almost double the price for shipping.

Ordering that I may as well have just opted in for a silent runner, but again I need all the money I can save since I don't get paid for a whole month. I need the cash put aside for hamster food as I'm half way through the food I have now which has lasted me so far 5 weeks and the vet if need be. I know the hamster food can probably last me another 5 weeks, but if I don't keep any money aside I'd be stressing out about not being able to get his food until I do get paid.

He's currently on his wheel right now so he's getting some of his exercise a bit earlier today.

[Imogen]

To save making another forum, I'm also going to ask here.

What is that soil type substrate that people use for their hamsters? Is it just plain soil? I want to add a bit of variety to my hamsters substrate and have a corner section with that soil so it's a more natural like area for him as possible and to add some rocks. I wanted to double check though because I'm not sure if your regular soil (from like those gardening packs) are safe for hamsters or if it was a specific soil like substrate made for hamsters.

With the rocks, I've heard people boil them to sanitize them but I know that isn't always the best thing to do for rocks, so I may try and pick up some rocks from somewhere from like an arts and craft shop that kids usually paint. Or is it ok to boil rocks? Not sure why, but my heart is telling me that it remembers there's something about a big debate over whether or not that's safe.

I also want some plants that are safe for him, would you recommend plastic or real? I've seen some really well done enclosures with a lot of foraging plants for a naturalistic feel. And is it also correct of me to state whether or not I've seen people giving their hamsters cat grass or is it something that looks like cat grass?

[sushi_78]

Originally Posted by Imogen

To save making another forum, I'm also going to ask here.

What is that soil type substrate that people use for their hamsters? Is it just plain soil? I want to add a bit of variety to my hamsters substrate and have a corner section with that soil so it's a more natural like area for him as possible and to add some rocks. I wanted to double check though because I'm not sure if your regular soil (from like those gardening packs) are safe for hamsters or if it was a specific soil like substrate made for hamsters.

With the rocks, I've heard people boil them to sanitize them but I know that isn't always the best thing to do for rocks, so I may try and pick up some rocks from somewhere from like an arts and craft shop that kids usually paint. Or is it ok to boil rocks? Not sure why, but my heart is telling me that it remembers there's something about a big debate over whether or not that's safe.

I also want some plants that are safe for him, would you recommend plastic or real? I've seen some really well done enclosures with a lot of foraging plants for a naturalistic feel. And is it also correct of me to state whether or not I've seen people giving their hamsters cat grass or is it something that looks like cat grass?

It's coconut fibre which you can buy in a dehydrated block either as a reptile substrate or for gardening. You add water to rehydrate it and then let it mostly dry out before using it. It does hold onto moisture and can therefore raise humidity in a cage so if you use it in a cage you need to keep an eye on that. Hamsters do better in dry environments rather than humid.

For rocks, I would just scrub them in hot (not boiling) soapy water. Since they're non-porous only the surface needs to be cleaned. The reason boiling rocks is best avoided is because some types have internal moisture-containing pockets, and when boiled the moisture turns to steam which expands and can cause the rock to explode.

Live plants aren't really a practical addition to a cage for a few reasons. Firstly, there's humidity issue as with the coconut fibre. Plants need damp whereas hamsters need a dry environment so there's a problem there. Plants also need fertiliser which isn't safe to have in a hamster cage. Plants also usually need a lot of direct sunlight whereas hamsters shouldn't be by a window where they might get too hot. If you want to have something plant-like for the natural appearance, I recommend seed sprays like millet, milo and flax. I stick them in the bedding or in little wooden stumps so they look almost like trees. I would go for these over plastic plants as they're much more interesting for the hamsters and edible.

These are seed sprays I buy: Rosewood Pet Products Naturals Pick ‘n’ Fly Bird 130g | Feedem

This is what I do with the seed sprays:


You can grow grass outside the cage and give it to them in small portions. I grow wheat and barley grass. You can also grow oat grass. I think Zooplus sell a tray that comes preplanted with various seeds and you just add water.

[Imogen]

Originally Posted by sushi_78

It's coconut fibre which you can buy in a dehydrated block either as a reptile substrate or for gardening. You add water to rehydrate it and then let it mostly dry out before using it. It does hold onto moisture and can therefore raise humidity in a cage so if you use it in a cage you need to keep an eye on that. Hamsters do better in dry environments rather than humid.

For rocks, I would just scrub them in hot (not boiling) soapy water. Since they're non-porous only the surface needs to be cleaned. The reason boiling rocks is best avoided is because some types have internal moisture-containing pockets, and when boiled the moisture turns to steam which expands and can cause the rock to explode.

Live plants aren't really a practical addition to a cage for a few reasons. Firstly, there's humidity issue as with the coconut fibre. Plants need damp whereas hamsters need a dry environment so there's a problem there. Plants also need fertiliser which isn't safe to have in a hamster cage. Plants also usually need a lot of direct sunlight whereas hamsters shouldn't be by a window where they might get too hot. If you want to have something plant-like for the natural appearance, I recommend seed sprays like millet, milo and flax. I stick them in the bedding or in little wooden stumps so they look almost like trees. I would go for these over plastic plants as they're much more interesting for the hamsters and edible.

These are seed sprays I buy: Rosewood Pet Products Naturals Pick ‘n’ Fly Bird 130g | Feedem

This is what I do with the seed sprays:


You can grow grass outside the cage and give it to them in small portions. I grow wheat and barley grass. You can also grow oat grass. I think Zooplus sell a tray that comes preplanted with various seeds and you just add water.

Ah thanks so much! And I see, thanks for letting me know it's coconut fibre! I guess I'll have to research more into keeping it as dry as possible. As you can see, the cage does have a very large ventilated top but again, water droplets and whatnot can cause dampness/humidity.

I know someone who may have a dehumidifier, would that help? And if I can't get my hands on one how else would you recommend reducing the likely hood of humidity happening?

And loving your set up! I see you got the wheel in there that I got my hands on yesterday. It looks very lovely! Not that it matters to me and is a focus for the hamster, it does look like it will fit in with a naturalistic theme more which my wheel just looked so bright and out of place (besides the corner toilet I recently got).

[Pebbles82]

I wouldn't use any kind of soil or even dampened coconut fibre. It can lead to fungus spores etc and not a good environment. Hamsters are prone to respiratory problems and humidity is bad for them (eg from damp things like plants or soil type substrates). I'd stick with normal substrate and sand. You can have variety of texture by using a couple of different substrates in different areas. Eg paper in one area, wood based in another area, sand in another.

Same thing with plants - the millet sprays are good though. The hamsters themselves don't really appreciate a natural looking environment IMO - it is more to make it look nice to humans! They love paper substrate!

Take the point about the flying saucer - I didn't realise postage was extra. It's a nightmare waiting for a wheel isn't it. It wouldn't matter if the substrate was a bit lower in one area - eg the wheel area.

[sushi_78]

It's more the moisture in the air that's the problem. Water condensing on the sides is only a symptom of that, so if it happens it means the humidity is probably too high and the coconut fibre needs to be removed. Coconut fibre is used a lot for reptiles that need high humidity because it's so good at holding onto moisture.

[Imogen]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I wouldn't use any kind of soil or even dampened coconut fibre. It can lead to fungus spores etc and not a good environment. I'd stick with normal substrate and sand. You can have variety of texture by using a couple of different substrates in different areas. Eg paper in one area, wood based in another area, sand in another.

Take the point about the flying saucer - I didn't realise postage was extra. It's a nightmare waiting for a wheel isn't it. It wouldn't matter if the substrate was a bit lower in one area - eg the wheel area.

Ah, okay! I was kinda worried about tissue paper in case it stuck to the inside of the hamsters cheeks. I know a few people have been worried about that but I guess it's fine as a lot of people do do it.

As with the substrate, okay, definitely didn't think about that. I did think about bacteria but I thought it'd be all fine since I've seen quite a few people do it.

And honestly!! Tell me about it! It's a nightmare to get your hands on a wheel during an emergency since they're either too small or just not okay for a hamster, it's such a shame pet shops just do not look further into care for hamsters, even though it's their job to provide the best health as possible to an animal. I swear most things for hamsters are just made for kids "cool setups" or are just so unhealthy to a hamster.

What really boiled my blood the other day was those little toy "running wheel" cars that move, all for a kid to have fun as if the hamster is having a little drive in his car. Same goes with that motorbike wheel!

I admit, as a kid I was sucked into those fun little cages with all windy tubes and colourful stuff but as I got older I felt more and more guilty about how my first hamster lived. I feel disgraced over it and I guess in a way I'm wanting to give my hamster the best life I can as in a way to "make up" for my old hamsters life.

[sushi_78]

Originally Posted by Imogen

Ah thanks so much! And I see, thanks for letting me know it's coconut fibre! I guess I'll have to research more into keeping it as dry as possible. As you can see, the cage does have a very large ventilated top but again, water droplets and whatnot can cause dampness/humidity.

I know someone who may have a dehumidifier, would that help? And if I can't get my hands on one how else would you recommend reducing the likely hood of humidity happening?

And loving your set up! I see you got the wheel in there that I got my hands on yesterday. It looks very lovely! Not that it matters to me and is a focus for the hamster, it does look like it will fit in with a naturalistic theme more which my wheel just looked so bright and out of place (besides the corner toilet I recently got).

Sorry, I only just saw the rest of your comment. No, I don't think a dehumidifier would work because they're for whole rooms really, not just a hamster cage. Personally I would only use coconut fibre in a very large, very well ventilated cage because of the risks mentioned. Sand is a good alternative.

Thank you! The wheel does look very good in a naturalistic setup.

Originally Posted by Imogen

And honestly!! Tell me about it! It's a nightmare to get your hands on a wheel during an emergency since they're either too small or just not okay for a hamster, it's such a shame pet shops just do not look further into care for hamsters, even though it's their job to provide the best health as possible to an animal. I swear most things for hamsters are just made for kids "cool setups" or are just so unhealthy to a hamster.

What really boiled my blood the other day was those little toy "running wheel" cars that move, all for a kid to have fun as if the hamster is having a little drive in his car. Same goes with that motorbike wheel!

I admit, as a kid I was sucked into those fun little cages with all windy tubes and colourful stuff but as I got older I felt more and more guilty about how my first hamster lived. I feel disgraced over it and I guess in a way I'm wanting to give my hamster the best life I can as in a way to "make up" for my old hamsters life.

Yes, most of what pet shops sell are at best unappealing to a hamster and at worst dangerous. I'm afraid I have to admit that when I had gerbils as a child I really wanted one of those running car things with the track but I never had enough pocket money to buy one, which was a very good thing.